Addiction Clinicians

Alcoholics have never had much success giving up drinking while using some other sedative. Often it results in a problem with the second substance.

You might as well write ‘I don’t want you to go to AA’ in big letters on the wall behind the therapist’s chair. It’s about that obvious.

AA and NA weren’t designed by professionals and they do not operate like professionally-developed behavioral therapy programs.

Busy professionals, though, may rely on “taking notes,” and doing the more formal documentation “later, when there’s time.”

Clinicians who improve their skills produce better outcomes for the client.

Complex behaviors often require complex explanations.

12 Step literature suggests that sponsors stick with advice on how to work the Steps, rather than stray into realms better left to trained professionals.

Craving has finally been added to the symptom list. I was never entirely clear on why it wasn’t included in DSM-IV, since there’s an impressive body of research on craving measurement.

Stats are something we impose on them when there’s already another client waiting in the corridor and the charting still isn’t done.

The challenge is to develop that relationship quickly enough to engage the client and create an environment that promotes success.